Chapter 7: Bonds
Shepard double-checked his gear one last time before glancing at the elevator doors impatiently. He looked at his omni-tool. It was a little earlier than he thought, his internal clock must have been off. The other three should arrive shortly; Wrex certainly wasn't going to show up late to what was likely the most important mission in his considerably long life. The Spectre walked over to where their new pilot was skimming what looked like manifests on a large terminal.
"Cortez?"
"Hm? Oh sorry, sir! I was just going over some data before the mission," the man said, turning and offering a salute that Shepard waved away. "I didn't see the rest of the team, should I have the shuttle prepped already?"
"No need for that. I got down here a little early, figured I'd take a few minutes to touch base. You've handled that shuttle pretty well those last few runs and I have a policy of at least expressing my gratitude to people that get my ass back home in one piece," Shepard said, flashing a brief smirk. "Why do you think I put up with Joker?"
The man chuckled, relaxing. "He is... very opinionated."
"You've got a gift for understatement, Cortez. What are you going over? I might hate paperwork but I'm pretty sure I recognize supply manifests when I see them. Not exactly something I expect pilots to be handling."
"I was never actually assigned as the Normandy's pilot. In fact I was actually here to oversee the modifications to the cargo bay and armory, but once the Reaper's hit... well I've got the flight experience, you needed a pilot, so I was it," Cortez explained with a shrug. "I'm also handling procurement since Traynor has her hands full coordinating all the information that comes through the Normandy's systems and well... EDI making outside calls for supplies might raise a few eyebrows. Especially if someone asked her to sign for something."
"Logical, I'll give you that."
"We don't have the manpower to be picky about our jobs. Technically I oversee the armory too but Lieutenant Vega has mostly been handling that for me. On the bright side since EDI gave me access to all of her available vendor information and a suspiciously large amount of credits I've been able to line up a pretty good resupply for us."
Shepard crossed his arms and leaned back against the console. "What sort of supplies?"
"A little bit of everything. I figured with the galaxy going to hell now was the time to stock up. Two crates of thermal magazines, rations, even a few heavy weapons. You had quite a collection here when the Normandy was turned over to the Alliance. Unfortunately the best I could do was a crate of four M-560 Hydra missile launchers and two surplus M-100 grenade launchers."
"Anything that involves acquiring explosive devices generally won't elicit any complaint from me. If you're already taking on the job make sure you acquire a considerable stockpile of dextro rations and medical supplies. Garrus is the only one on board right now but I either want to make sure that he can eat for a damn year or that we've got enough to feed a squad of turians if we pick them up somewhere."
The other man nodded. "Of course, Commander. EDI had actually already sent me a message regarding that as soon as... Mr. Vakarian came on board."
An amused, flanged voice came from behind Shepard. "Mr. Vakarian is my father, grouchy old bastard that he is. You can just call me Garrus."
Shepard glanced over his shoulder. "Nice of you to join us."
"Hey, I'm on time. I figured Wrex would be down here beating on the shuttle doors like a kid on his naming-day."
"I've been here," a voice rumbled from their left.
Emerging from behind the stacked crates Wrex lumbered into view, armored and ready as always. The massive krogan's leathery hide was the same patchwork of lines and scars that Shepard remembered, his brutish appearance belying the glitter of razor sharp intelligence in his eyes. Wrex had never specified his exact age, but it was measured in centuries. The krogan had been waging war in space when human beings had still been fighting each other with swords and spears. It made their friendship all the more odd. Wrex greeted them with a toothy smile.
"I always slept in the hold of the old Normandy, didn't see a reason to break with tradition."
"Only you could nap before a mission like this, Wrex," Garrus said, shaking his head.
"Get a few centuries on you turian, and you'll appreciate any chance to sleep you can get."
"Oh, I've been through boot camp. I had that drilled into me already, I just still don't think I'd be able to sleep knowing how close I was to curing the genophage."
Wrex eyed the turian carefully. "We've fought side by side, Vakarian. I'd trust you at my back any day, which is more than I can say for any other turian, but I'm surprised you're so enthused. Considering all those arguments we had in the old days."
The Spectre couldn't help but chuckle quietly to himself. Argument was a mild way of putting the disagreements that Wrex and Garrus had had on the SR-1. More than once he had almost seen them come to blows during those first weeks of the mission, surly and snapping at one another with time honored insults and raised voices. More than once Ashley had abandoned the armory for the mess to get away from the shouting, while Liara and Tali had both seemed nervous just to be around them. Kaiden had often asked him why he didn't just keep them in separate parts of the ship, only take one of them at a time on missions to avoid the conflict. He'd just smiled back then and said they'd eventually learn that they weren't so different.
And they had. The pair that had been mortal enemies in the first weeks of their mission had become staunch allies by the final days. Garrus and Wrex had been his two tried and true soldiers, the ones he took with him when it wasn't going to be a mission about talking and negotiating. While every member of his team had been a fighter with their own skills and talents, the three of them working together had been nothing short of a force of nature. By all rights they should have hated one another to their graves.
"I learned that I was wrong about a lot of things back then, Wrex. The genophage was one of them. I've seen too much pain and suffering in this galaxy the last few years to think that inflicting more would help anyone."
"Guess that I learned a thing or two as well, turian," Wrex said dryly, clasping the sniper's wrist tightly and glancing over at Shepard. "You two made a good krannt. Good that you're here for this."
Shepard inclined his head at the old krogan. "I wouldn't miss it."
Cortez had already slipped away to prep the shuttle during their conversation, clearly seeing that the conversation was between old comrades. Behind them he could hear the shuttle's engines whining as they started up. A few moments later the last member of their ground party arrived. Javik wore his same ornate armor and he could see the particle weapon resting easily at the prothean's back. Wrex was already eyeing him curiously.
"I am ready, Commander," Javik said. "It will be intriguing to see how the salarians have developed in your cycle. In my time they had barely left the water."
"Who's this?" the krogan asked.
Shepard made a quick introduction. "Wrex, this is Javik. The last member of the Prothean Empire. Javik, this is Urdnot Wrex. A friend and warrior, leader of Clan Urdnot."
The two ancient warriors appraised each other for a few long moments before Wrex extended his hand. Javik, whether recognizing the gesture from Shepard's memories or some things simply being universal, returned the gesture briefly. He saw the prothean's lips curl slightly at the contact.
"You have fought many battles," Javik stated plainly, respectfully even. Surprising considering that most of Javik's commentary since coming aboard had been tinged with equal amounts disbelief and bemusement at the advances of the 'primitives'.
"Centuries worth. Prothean, huh? Thought you lot all died out the last time the Reapers attacked."
The prothean's reply was firm. "As Commander Shepard stated, I am the last. I carry with me the vengeance of my people."
"Hrm. I think we'll get along just fine. If there's anything a krogan understands, it's revenge. We ready?"
Shepard gestured towards the shuttle with one hand, grabbing his helmet from the nearby console. "Looks like it. Load up and let's go get your women, Wrex."
Sur'Kesh looked how Shepard imagined Earth might have millions of years ago, with large land masses covered in thick jungles. The shuttle skimmed above the thick canopy before descending into a breathtaking valley near the STG facilities. Salarian buildings were all smooth faced with curves that wrapped around the natural form of the landscape they were built on, merging with rather than trampling over, the terrain. There was a time in the past he might have appreciated the huge waterfalls that poured from various cliff faces, the lush beauty of it all. Now all he could see was what parts of Earth looked like before the Reaper's devastating assault. He wondered if the Amazon jungle that so many governments and environmental groups had spent billions preserving were alight with flames.
"Thanks for this, Shepard. No one else I'd rather have at my side," Wrex said as they neared the base.
Garrus coughed, earning himself a disinterested glare from Wrex that quickly dissolved into a good natured smirk. Even if a grin on Wrex looked more akin to a crocodile appraising its next meal.
"I suppose I can make room for you too, Garrus."
"Much better," the turian quipped. "I just came along because I figured you'd gone soft, forgotten how to hold a gun sitting on that nice throne."
Wrex made a rude gesture and turned his attention back to Shepard. "So what's the plan? They're just going to let us land this thing and load up the females? Seems too easy."
"It does," he replied dryly. "Keep your eyes open."
As if summoning trouble the comms came to life before he'd even finished his sentence. A terse salarian voice immediately started rattling orders, leading Shepard to the cockpit. Nothing could be as simple as just landing and picking up a few passengers.
"Shuttle, this is ground control. You are not authorized to land at this secure facility."
"STG base, this is Spectre John Shepard. I have authorization from Dalatrass Linron for this pick up," Shepard said, stressing both his rank and the dalatrass' name. Cortez had banked the shuttle and was now hovering over the facility, looking over his shoulder in confusion.
The response was immediate. "Repeat, you are not authorized to land at this facility!"
A deep, rolling growl came from behind him.
"To hell with this. I knew they'd never keep their word. Let's see them try to stop a krogan airdrop!"
"Wrex!" he yelled.
Shepard was far too late, of course. The shuttle door was already open and the krogan leapt out, a quarter of a ton of bone, muscle, and armor dropping two stories to the ground. Wrex's body was momentarily wreathed in biotic energy, slowing his descent only slightly. The thud of his massive bulk landing was loud enough to echo even over the sound of the shuttle's engines.
"Dammit! Bring it down, Cortez... hopefully before Wrex starts a damn war!"
Javik caught his eye even through the visor of his helmet. "And what if he does? Will you let him die or will you fight these amphibians for his females?"
"I promised Wrex we'd get his people back. I keep my promises."
Following the krogan's example he jumped from the shuttle before Cortez could even bring it to the ground, tucking himself into a roll as he landed and using the momentum to push himself back to his feet. Wrex already had his shotgun out and a snarl on his face, half a dozen wide eyed salarians advancing clutching SMGs and pistols. The nearest raised his weapon only to go flying backwards from a surge of biotic energy.
"Come on, you slimy little cowards!" Wrex snarled.
The red glint of laser sights didn't go unnoticed, swarming over the battlemaster and Shepard's own armor. On pure muscle memory his hand found the rifle at his back, unfolding the weapon in his hands and tucking it his shoulder. Garrus' voice was in his ear.
"Got you covered, boss, but there are a lot of them."
"Stand down! Stand down!" a panicked voice yelled, quickly materializing as a dark skinned salarian male. His aural horns were oddly mismatched, far from the usual symmetry he saw on most salarians. "Commander Shepard! We were only just informed of this transfer. Please restrain your colleague!"
"Not much of a welcome... where are the females?" Wrex demanded.
"I will explain. No need for violence," the salarian insisted, quickly motioning at his own men. With clear reluctance barrels eased downward and targeting lasers winked out.
"Wrex," he said simply.
"Alright, alright."
When the battlemaster's weapon was safely at his back once more Shepard released a tightly held breath, flicking the safety on his weapon and motioning for the other two to join them. Garrus and Javik made the short jump to the ground from their previous positions inside the shuttle doors. He was amused to note both of them scanning their surroundings. Eyes picking out sniping positions, cover, entrances and exits. Apparently fifty thousand years of separation didn't greatly change the behavior of soldiers.
"Apologies for the misunderstanding. Padok Wiks, STG," the dark salarian said, offering his hand in a surprisingly non-salarian handshake. "We only opened and decrypted the orders a few minutes ago. Response time to the control tower was somewhat lacking."
He took the offered hand, giving the man a questioning look. "We've been in transit for hours. I met with the Dalatrass herself. How are you just now getting these orders?"
"Question of the hour, no?" Wiks said. "Please, follow me. I apologize for the welcome. With the war our people are on edge and this base contains sensitive information... as you can see. Wait here, I will get you access to the lower levels."
Moving into the base proper he was greeted by a sight that almost had him reaching for his rifle once more. Moving slowly across the ceiling in a transparent cell was a massive creature, bulking twice the size of even Wrex and with eight eyes all glittering with deadly intelligence. A yahg, all teeth, claws and rage. Memory roared in the back of his mind. The Shadow Broker throwing his grenade, the heat and force of the explosion washing over him. Tali's slim form lifted from the ground and tossed against the wall like a doll, a barely heard cry of pain, Liara's barely registering. And then the pure rage as he'd lashed out with his biotics. That feeling of brutal, hateful satisfaction when he had torn out the yahg's throat. Not even realizing it a deep snarl had left his lips, causing his companion's eyes to snap to him.
"I thought I was the pissed off one here, Shepard," Wrex said, red eyes examining him closely. For all reputation of the krogan as uncultured, uneducated brutes there had always been a keen mind behind Wrex's scarred, belligerent exterior.
"We had an encounter with a yahg a little while back," Garrus supplied. "It wasn't fun."
Shepard shook his head, getting control of himself. "Sorry, just bad memories. Can't believe they have those things here."
"You fought one. Hand to hand?" Javik interjected. The prothean's gaze was curious before turning knowing, the question becoming a statement. It seemed that his mental abilities didn't require touch. "Impressive."
"Yea, impressive," he muttered.
Wrex didn't press the line of questioning any further, just shrugging and moving to follow as he approached the STG agent.
"What kind of facility is this, Wiks?" he demanded. "Yahg? I'd ask if you know what those things are capable of but if you've studied them then you already know."
The salarian frowned. "Evolutionary trials. Morphological simulation. Exogenetic assessments."
"I knew another salarian that talked that language, didn't understand him half the time either but I think I picked up enough to translate. You're keeping them as damn science experiments. Looking for the next species to 'uplift'!"
"I cannot comment on STG projects, Commander. But I will say that there are some that would repeat mistakes of the past rather than admit a decision was made in error," Wiks replied. "Now I have gained access for you to the lower levels but we must insist that the krogan remain here under guard. My superiors simply will not authorize his entry into sensitive areas."
"I'll find your sensitive areas in a minute, salarian," Wrex growled.
He held up a hand. "Let me do my job, Wrex. I can go in and make nice. You stand out here and find out if it's actually possible to make someone burst into flames by glaring at them."
"We will endeavor to make the transition as smooth as possible. Ah... one moment, I am getting some information. I will provide you with security passes momentarily," Wiks assured them, turning to talk in hushed tones with a salarian behind him. The words were fast, somehow managing to be high pitched and guttural at the same time; clearly it was the salarian native tongue.
Shepard looked over at the battlemaster as they waited impatiently. "What do you know about these females, Wrex? When we cleaned out Maelon's lab there weren't any survivors, where did they even come from?"
The krogan snorted. "They were infertile as far as we knew; they were sent out as a distraction to divert attention away from the actual fertile females at the camp so Urdnot could move in and evacuate after you decapitated Clan Weyrloc. Guess Maelon's experiments had changed them, we never heard from them again. Assumed they were dead."
"That's a brutal decision to make. Sending out women to die... turians are all about equal roles in our military but something about that idea still sticks in my craw," Garrus muttered.
Javik's response was far more ambivalent. "It is a valid strategy. This genophage makes their fertile females their most valuable asset. If an asset of far lesser value is lost in protecting them it is a good decision."
"And the females volunteered for it in the first place," Wrex added. "Those are the kind of decisions the genophage has forced us into."
The discussion was cut short when alarms began to blare. Padok Wiks had already spun on his heel, omni-tool open, typing away even as he spoke.
"Should have trusted my instincts before! Damn! We have inbound unidentified ships, half a dozen shuttles and gunships. Our listening posts had detected a few unknowns at the edge of our sensor range but nothing conclusive. You need to get below. We're already mobilizing defenses."
"Reapers?"
"Unknown, but I don't believe so. Drive emissions and silhouettes suggest conventional designs such as A-61 Mantis gunships."
"Whoever they are I can't assume it's a coincidence. Wrex, same plan but faster. Stay here and guard the shuttle. We're screwed if we can't get out of here."
The krogan nodded, producing his weapon once more. "I will, but you better get your ass in there and get our women! Come on you slippery runts. You can see how a krogan fights when you're not on the receiving end!"
The salarian guards jumped as Wrex addressed them, but followed as he stalked towards the shuttle. Garrus and Javik were already in the elevator, the turian tossing him a triangular yellow badge that he held in front of the scanner. The computer beeped once and the doors shut. A second later he felt movement as they moved deeper into the facility. The elevator finally slid to a halt, opening up to reveal salarians scrambling back and forth, emotionless VI echoing warnings throughout the base.
"Stage three incursion. All STG personnel are required to remain on site and secure any ongoing experiments. Repeat. Stage three incursion."
"I don't like this, Shepard," Garrus said. "This was all done through STG channels, direct from the dalatrass. We made a straight burn to the relay and then to Sur'Kesh."
The floor shuddered beneath their feet. An all too familiar sensation that all three recognized that only resulted when a powerful explosive was set off nearby. Any questions of whether it was an attack had clearly been answered. The salarians scrambled even faster, a dozen voices chattering too fast for any other race to keep track of. Shepard scanned the room, immediately spotting a friendly face in the same moment Mordin saw him.
"Shepard! Excellent timing. Good to have you here."
Crossing the distance between them he shook the older operative's hand quickly, his tone amused. "Mordin, good to see you too. This was the last place I expected to find you."
"Eyesight still sharp. Hadn't planned on returning to work. Hope pass phrase was useful for identifying veracity of information."
Thankfully Javik prevented a continuation on that topic. "Your speech is... strange, salarian. To think your kind once ate flies."
Mordin's gaze turned to Javik and there was a brief moment of silence from the salarian doctor, made all the more significant for its rarity. He blinked once.
"A prothean. Most excellent. Also, still eat flies. Delicious. Come, female this way."
He couldn't help but chuckle. Mordin had once explained to him that salarians processed emotions and surprise differently than humans, quickly categorizing and moving past the various stages. Still, only Mordin would simply accept that there was a living prothean and take it in stride with only a simple comment.
"So you're back with the STG?" Garrus asked.
Mordin nodded. "Yes. Had to be me. Someone else might have gotten it wrong. Fed Clan Urdnot information on females. Applied political pressure for release."
"Wrex is going to be surprised as hell when he figures out who his inside source is."
"Indeed. I predict very enjoyable surprise reactions. Can debate later, however," the salarian agreed. "Warnings not normal, clearly under attack. Must get female off world for her safety. Traitor in STG command structure one of only few possibilities. All bad."
Garrus gave the doctor a sidelong glance. "We were just thinking the same thing... wait, you said female, singular? The information implied there were a number of survivors."
"Females had... weakened immune systems. Side effect of Maelon's 'cure'. Most... did not survive."
He could hear the regret in Mordin's voice, the guilt. There were a few more casualties in the long list of pain caused by the genophage. Shepard sighed, resting a hand on the doctor's shoulder.
"I'm sure you did everything you could for them."
"Arrived too late. Must not delay now," Mordin stated firmly. "One female survived, shows excellent resistance to genophage. Call her 'Eve'. Thought it appropriate. She does not understand the significance, however."
"You can create a cure for this genophage? From a single female?" Javik asked.
"Yes. Can synthesize counter agent from her tissue. She is last hope for krogan people. If she dies cure becomes... problematic."
Mordin was quickly leading them through the facility, past the scrambling guards and techs, finally arriving at another room that contained a holding cell similar to the one that he'd just seen containing the yahg. The doctor looked at him, warning in his dark, almond-shaped eyes.
"Please, be careful. Krogan slow to trust. Too much history."
"I'm Commander Shepard of the SSV Normandy. Can you hear me?"
Stepping forward he placed a hand on the glass. Time wasn't a luxury they had, whoever was attacking the STG could only be there for the same reason they were. But it would all be for nothing if the female wouldn't trust them enough to escape with them. Inside the cell all he could make out was a bulky form, swathed in robes. Abruptly the head raised and he met bright red eyes behind the slits of a veil. Eyes that shone with that same intelligence that Wrex's betrayed... and also more. Fear. Suspicion.
"Are you here to kill me, human?"
He blinked. The first thought, first assumption on meeting, was that he had come as her executioner? Behind him he could hear Garrus muttering a curse, something clipped and turian that he had only caught the sniper saying a few times before. It was decided unpleasant when he'd looked up the translation.
"No. I'm here to bring you home. To Tuchanka."
"Why? What am I to you? I see a turian and...something else. What prize has been offered, human, to bring you into the salarian nest for me?"
"You're the future of the krogan race. And maybe our only hope to win a war for every species," he said. "I came with Urdnot Wrex. Promised him we'd help save your people."
Another shudder passed through the floor, stronger than the last. The calm warning from before had become more strident, alarms blaring repeatedly. Above them he heard the first sounds of weapons fire dimly through the stonework.
"Then I hope you brought an army, Commander Shepard of the Normandy."
He turned to the nearest salarian, typing away at the nearby console. "What's the status?"
"Unknown ships have breached perimeter. The base is in lockdown and we're scrambling security."
"Shepard!"
He looked down, turning his back to the cell and activating his omni-tool. Wrex's face sprang up, twisted in a grimace. Over the comm he could hear echoes of gunfire and see flashes over the battlemaster's head.
"What's going on up there, Wrex?"
"It's Cerberus, they're attacking the facility. You need to get the females out of there now!"
He winced, glancing over his shoulder. "There's only one survivor left, Wrex. The others didn't make it, Maelon's treatments left them too weak."
"One?" the krogan practically roared. "Then Cerberus or not if you want this alliance we have to get her out of there. Now! I won't leave her there for the salarians to kill too!"
"I told you we'd get your people. That's exactly what I'll do. Secure the LZ," he ordered, feeling for the moment like time had run backwards and it was the original Normandy all over again. He turned to the salarian tech.
"Release the female. She's coming with us."
"I can't! Protocol states that during lockdown all specimens-"
The salarian's burst of regulations was cut off by a burst of electricity that caused his eyes to roll up in his head, sending him crumpling to the ground. Mordin simply lowered his omni-tool and looked down at the unconscious man sadly.
"Objection noted. But not 'specimen'. A person. When we forget that... science used for terrible purpose."
It only took a few keystrokes to override the lockdown procedures from what Shepard could see. The containment cell opened with an audible hiss, sliding slowly until the doors had fully retracted. The female's head turned slowly, as if expecting a trick, before taking a tentative step forward.
"Cannot wait, Eve. Must go. Assure you, Shepard trustworthy. Will not betray you. Considered part of krannt of Urdnot Wrex, first human to ever gain such an honor."
She eyed him suspiciously once more but finally nodded. "Very well."
"Where to, Mordin?"
"This way. Previous entrance already compromised. Schematics show Cerberus destroyed main elevator with explosive device. Must hurry."
"You up for this, old man?" Garrus asked with a smirk.
The salarian blinked at him once, then smiled faintly, drawing a pistol from his back and flicking off the safety. "Quote human song, genre 'country'. 'Not as good as once was. But as good once as ever was.' Slight paraphrasing."
"Good enough for me," the turian laughed.
"Alright, Javik you're with me on point. We're not taking prisoners or providing assistance, anything between us and that evac point is fair game. Garrus, hang back with Mordin and cover us. Make sure Eve stays safe and gets to that shuttle," Shepard ordered. "Clear? Then let's move."
He yanked the rifle from his back, the weapon extending in his hands like an old friend. A Viper mark 97, almost more of a marksman rifle than a true sniper rifle. It might not have the power to drop a charging krogan in one hit but it made him more mobile while still maintaining deadly accuracy. Bracing his back against the frame of the first door he looked over at Javik doing the same opposite of him, particle rifle gripped tightly in his hands. He nodded once and the prothean hit the door control with his fist.
The doors opened instantly and a rush of humid air poured in, immediately followed by the sounds of combat. The way forward was lined with large planters of what he could only assume was a native flower. Prothean and human moved one after the other, weapons raised. Half a dozen Cerberus troopers were taking up positions at the end of the open walkway, dropped there by a Kodiak shuttle. Mordin was ushering Eve behind a heavy concrete pillar for protection and gave him a curt nod as soon as she was safe. Shepard dropped into a crouch and lined up a shot.
"Take them."
Three guns fired almost simultaneously. Garrus heavy rifle took the nearest full in the chest, the impact sending the soldier tumbling over the edge of the balcony, while his own shot pierced through the visor of another. Both men were likely dead before they hit the ground. Javik's pulsing blast was far more dramatic tearing into the white armor just long enough for the trooper to scream before slicing through.
"Contacts!" one of the soldiers yelled, spraying fire in their direction, while the other two dove for cover much to their credit.
"I've got them covered, move up, boss!" Garrus said.
He made a dash for the nearest pillar, the turian's rifle giving another loud report as he did. A few more brilliant green lances streaked out for good measure, carving the top off of the Cerberus trooper's cover. Ducking around his cover he snapped off two quick shots that caught one of them in the shoulder, staggering him long enough for Javik to have a clear shot. Their armor was heavy, but without any real kinetic barriers the skirmish was a foregone conclusion. A few moments later the remaining two were sprawled on the floor in pools of blood.
"Clear. Mordin, you can move up with Eve. Keep her near the wall and watch for shuttles."
"Understood. Suspect mole in STG, Cerberus should not have known about females. Possible indoctrination."
"Yea, that's what I was afraid of," he muttered, jamming a fresh clip into the rifle just as his comm's crackled to life once more.
"Come in, Shepard."
"What is it, Wrex? We're moving as fast as we can."
"I took your shuttle. LZ was too damn hot with all these guys on the ground, I'm swinging around to pick you up. Sending the coordinates, I should be able to pick you up there. Don't keep me waiting, I can't fly around out here forever."
"Understood," he said. Now wasn't the time to ask why Wrex was piloting his shuttle instead of Cortez. Arguing with Wrex had rarely been a productive pastime in the first place and with Eve on the line it was even less advisable.
A shuttle, white and gold for Cerberus, blew past. Garrus immediately shifted position, putting himself between Eve and the open area but the shuttle apparently had more important things to worry about as two curving salarian fighters streaked after it. For the life of him he couldn't understand why Cerberus would attack now. How many times had the Illusive Man given his speech about wanted to advance humanity, not destroy aliens. To think he'd almost believed it.
"Commander!"
He dropped the rifle's barrel towards the ground as a salarian form materialized ahead from the blurring effect of a stealth rig. It wasn't quite up to Kasumi's standards but it was close. Much to his surprise he recognized the man by his rough, vivid green skin tone.
"Captain Kirrahe? What the hell are you doing here?"
"My job. And it's Major now actually," the salarian said ruefully. "You've got a heavy patrol of Cerberus ahead of you, I counted at least a dozen foot soldiers and three officers, assuming from their heavier armor."
"Problematic, cannot allow Eve to be put in harms way," Mordin interjected.
"Ah. Solus."
Mordin nodded. "Major."
Shepard glanced back to see Garrus covering the krogan female once more. "I can leave Garrus back here with you to cover our six, Mordin. Assuming you're willing to lend us a hand again, Kirrahe?"
"Just hope it turns out better than the last time," the major agreed.
He sighed. "Makes two of us."
"I find your variety of comrades fascinating, Commander. In my time we would have looked upon this variety of races as subordinates but you treat them as equals," Javik interjected.
Kirrahe had fixed the prothean with a very long stare, blinking a few times before flicking his eyes up and down.
"What... turian, significant genetic modification?"
"Prothean," Javik stated dryly.
"Unlikely. Couldn't be salarian. Drell? Or even batarian... multiple eyes?"
"Prothean."
"I might not be Mordin Solus, famed scientist, but I am still salarian enough to know when someone is making things up."
Mordin raised a finger. "Actually is prothean. Very fascinating. Will want to question extensively later but ignoring curiosity due to immediate concerns. Stop being cloaca."
"I am not a..." Kirrahe began, finally trailing off with the nearest thing to a growl he had ever heard from a salarian. "After all these years I see why Padok Wiks punched you. Humans have always tried to explain envy to me. I suddenly understand."
"Learning experience. Now, mission to complete?"
"I'm not even going to ask," Shepard said. "Garrus, you got the back door covered?"
"Don't worry, I'm not letting our krogan princess so much as scratch a nail."
The veiled female shook her head, voice bemused. "You are the krannt of Urdnot Wrex? That old male has become stranger in his years."
Garrus' mandibles flexed as he stifled a laugh, while Shepard could only shrug, stowing his rifle at his back once more and drawing the submachine gun from his hip. He looked between the odd team he had assembled: a turian guarding the last hope of a species that should have been his mortal enemy, two salarians that each thought the other was an idiot, and the last member of a millennia-dead species. What a strange path his life had taken.
"Javik, how are your hand to hand skills?"
"I am a master of the art of kree-ja as well as seven other forms of armed and unarmed combat."
"No idea what kree-ja is but I'm going to take that as a yes. We can't afford any of these guys getting line of sight on Eve. Javik and I are going to go in close, make sure they're too tied up to have a chance to concentrate fire. Mordin I need you harrying their flanks, keep them tangled up with us. Kirrahe, can you use that stealth net to get around them and provide a distraction so Javik and I can close on them?"
The green skinned salarian nodded, hefting the rifle in his hands. "A couple of concussive grenades and a thermal magazine worth of incendiary rounds should draw their attention."
"Sounds like a plan, then."
Kirrahe's form shimmered once more, disappearing from sight, and he could just hear the footfalls moving away. He moved up slowly with Javik, staying pressed against the wall to avoid being seen. Garrus' voice was loud in his ear in the sudden silence.
"Sounds like a plan, Shepard? Two of you stuck in with a dozen guys?"
"We're both biotics and from what I can tell Cerberus still isn't exactly recruiting former N7. They've got firepower and basic tactics but I haven't seen anything elite about them yet," he whispered into his helmet. "Just make sure Eve gets to that shuttle, you understand me?"
"I copy." The reply was grudging but at least it counted as assent.
A few more brief moments of waiting. Then he heard the first blast, quickly followed by another. Cerberus' soldiers yelled in surprise, immediately opening fire in uneven bursts. He surged from cover, Javik hot on his heels, slamming his shoulder into the back of the first soldier before the knot of Cerberus troops even noticed they were there.
"Shit! Contacts behind!" one of them barked.
It was then that he noticed what Kirrahe had meant about some of them being more heavily armored, throwing himself to the side as one of the soldiers spun on his heel and let off a burst of fire that tore through the space Shepard had occupied a moment before. Javik was already moving among them, catching one with the butt of his rifle before dropping low to sweep the legs out from another. Rolling to his feet Shepard jerked the trigger on his SMG, pouring a steady stream of fire into the chest of one of the soldiers.
His barriers flashed, rounds catching him in the shoulder. A wave of biotic energy from Javik staggered the trooper, sending the rest of his shots wide, and Shepard immeditately followed up with a vicious shove from his own biotics. The impact lifted the man from his feet and sent him hurtling over the edge of the balcony to what was likely a painfully abrupt stop below.
"Ignore the salarian!" one of the more heavily armored soldiers ordered. "Target Shepard!"
A final burst from his submachine gun raked across the leader, only to reveal the bright flash of kinetic barriers even as the thermal clip ejected from his weapon. Shepard cursed loudly and simply hurled the gun as hard as he could directly at the man's head, metal impacting metal with a loud crack. The blow wasn't remotely incapacitating but it was enough to stun the soldier long enough for Shepard to close the distance. He slapped the heavy rifle to the side and drove one gauntleted fist into the side of his opponent's head.
"Centurion!" one of the troopers yelled, leveling his weapon at Shepard.
Shepard reacted quickly, grabbing the armored collar of the stunned enemy and throwing him between himself and the other man, letting his enemy absorb the fire meant for him. To his left he watched Javik dodge a heavy blow from another trooper, flowing like water beneath the punch and sidestepping until he was behind his surprised opponent. In a flash his hands reached out, grabbing the man by the chin and snapping his neck in a single practiced jerk.
He didn't have time to appreciate the skill of the prothean's work, the 'centurion' that he'd been dealing with had already regained his senses. A length of electrified metal suddenly extended from the soldier's armor, swinging overhanded at his head. He barely caught it on his forearm, staggering back from the electric discharge. Hand to hand combat was one thing but the Spectre wasn't used to dealing with someone wearing armor even heavier than his own. As hard as he could hit it still wasn't enough to significant damage to someone wear such heavy plating.
Thankfully Mordin had apparently been paying attention to the situation if the sudden burst of flame that roared over the centurion's armor was any indication, eliciting a strangled yell of panic. The brief moment the soldier spent patting out the flames was enough for Shepard to draw his pistol and empty half the magazine into the man from only a few feet away. A few more shots rang out, white and gold armored forms slumped to the floor... and then it was over. The centurion he shot was twitching feebly, the wet gurgle that came from behind the helmet telling him the man wasn't long for the world.
"Bracing, but not a tactic I would advise utilizing often," Javik said, stepping over one of the bodies.
Shepard shrugged, rubbing his arm and trying to shake off the tingling and numbness. "We'll do whatever it takes. I'm going to need to find something that can punch through that damn armor before I try taking one of these types on in hand to hand again."
Crouching down he yanked off the Cerberus agent's face plate. Blank eyes, riddled with cybnetics just like on Mars, looked back at him. One more soldier sent to die for the cause. At least most terrorists had idealogy to drive them. But with all those silvery lines and faintly glowing implants he couldn't help but think that it wouldn't have mattered what this man had once believed. He belonged to Cerberus down to his bones now.
"Why? Why care about the krogan? Why throw away human lives for nothing?"
The centurion's only response was a wet cough, blood running down his lips. There were a few more sputters and then the eyes dimmed, the body going slack and slumping against the wall. No answers, only more questions.
"Even if we caught one alive I doubt they'd tell us anything, Shepard," Garrus said from behind him.
"Maybe so. The Illusive man is going to have a lot to answer for when this is all over. Let's get Eve to that shuttle."
Garrus leaned back against the wall of the shuttle and sighed, just relaxing his muscles one by one. As missions went it hadn't exactly been normal, but he had learned the hard way that if you were on the Normandy then normal was just a distant memory. Three years ago if anyone had told him he'd be fighting side by side with a human and a salarian, he'd have said that it was damned unlikely. If they'd mentioned a prothean he'd have laughed at them. And if they'd said that he'd be doing all that while putting his life on the line to help cure the genophage?
Probably would have punched them.
Now they were burning back to the Normandy as fast as the shuttle would go, Cortez at the controls once more. When Shepard had asked him how Wrex had ended up flying his answer had been simple: when the krogan battlemaster tells you to move, you do. A quiet chuckle rose in his throat at the thought as he removed his helmet, resting it on his knee. He noticed the krogan female, sitting gingerly on undersized bench of the passenger area, watching him intently.
"What? Didn't think I was actually a turian under there?" he asked dryly.
"No."
"No you didn't think I was turian or no you did?"
The krogan gave an unamused sigh. "I knew what you were turian. I was simply confused."
He glanced towards the back of the shuttle. Shepard was talking to Wrex, eyes not focused on anything in particular from what he could tell. The battlemaster was chuckling, giving the smaller human a clap on the shoulder and getting a tired smile from the Spectre that disappeared the next instant. Garrus shook his head, turning his attention back to the krogan, Eve, as Mordin called her.
"I'll bite. Why were you confused?"
"When the shuttle, the one belonging to the enemy human clan..."
"Cerberus"
"Yes. Their shuttle passed by, you put yourself between myself and the enemy. Why?
Garrus blinked, his plates crinkling slightly in confusion of his own. "Because you might be a krogan but Mordin said your system was under stress, I have barriers and armor... not to mention extensive experience at being shot with heavy ordnance."
"Your people were the ones that decided to deploy the genophage against mine a thousand years ago. Yet now you would protect me. Most turians would have been happy to kill me, I think."
"I'm not most turians," he shot back curtly.
"Indeed. You take orders from a human. Also odd."
"I don't take orders from 'a human'. I take orders from Commander Shepard, Spectre, Hero of the Citadel, and all that other stuff that looks good on the vids. Doesn't matter if he's human, turian, or anything in between."
Eve cocked her head.
"I do not understand. All my life I lived on Tuchanka until the salarians took me to their world. Every mercenary that came home told the same story. Humans hate turians. Turians hate krogan. Salarians lie to everyone. Yet this salarian Mordin... is different. He treats me well, is concerned for my health. Then a human and a turian arrive together with one of the oldest remaining krogan battlemasters, risking your lives for my own. What makes you each so different that you would work together?"
Garrus looked back at Wrex and Shepard again. The old krogan had a grumpy look on his face, shoving the Spectre lightly as he spoke in low tones. There was a brief exchange before Shepard actually laughed. It was short and tired, but it was something. Just like old times.
"I think we finally figured out that after the shit we've been through that people don't have to be the same species to be brothers."
The krogan had no response to that.
Sorry for the delay, folks. Unfortunately illness is not conductive to good writing speed! We're nearing the end of the stretch where Requiem's events match up easily with the game... once Shepard leaves Tuchanka, well it'll be interesting at least.
